Tepui Elaenia

Locally fairly common in suitable tepui-slope scrub and montane forest edge; one of the more reliable Pantepui endemics on a standard tepui tour. Conspicuous and confiding compared with most tepui specialties.

Olive-gray upperparts, pale yellow-washed underparts, two whitish wingbars, thin pale eyering, small crest usually held flat (may show a white crown patch when raised), thin whitish central crown stripe. ~14.5-15 cm. A drab elaenia best confirmed by range + montane tepui habitat + voice rather than plumage alone.

Scrubby edges, rocky clearings and openings in humid montane forest, second growth and Melastomataceae-dominated thickets on tepui slopes and summits; ~950-2400 m in Venezuela. Subspecies davidwillardi is restricted to Cerro de la Neblina (Amazonas).

Active, fairly tame edge bird; perches semi-upright on exposed twigs, sallies for insects and takes small fruit (melastomes). Often the default elaenia at fruiting edges on the tepui road.

Typical elaenia repertoire: clear whistles mixed with burry/raspy calls and a dawn song of repeated burry notes. Search 'Tepui Elaenia' (Macaulay/eBird species code sieela2) on Macaulay Library and 'Elaenia olivina' on Xeno-canto; filter to Bolivar, Venezuela for the nominate.

An easy confidence-builder early in a tepui tour: scan fruiting Melastomataceae and exposed snags at forest edge along La Escalera in the first hours of light. Use it to teach clients the generic elaenia jizz (crest, wingbars, burry voice) before tackling harder tepui skulkers.